Day 24: Writing Summaries

Objectives
Today we will review how to
a) write a good summary.
b) take useful notes when doing research.


A. Consider the following:
As you conduct your research for your research paper, don't forget:

a) The PURPOSE of the Guided Research Paper

Problem-Solution Paper Assignment: Choose an issue that affects a specific group of people (i.e. children, teenagers, women, etc.) in your local community, state, country, or region. Then choose an organization or a policy maker that has addressed or tried to solve that problem in the past. Write a problem-solution paper that either 1) critiques 1-2 of the current solutions and recommends 1-2 other ideas or 2) critiques 3 current solutions and recommends how to improve them.

b) The Organization: HOMELESS CHILDREN'S EDUCATION FUND

c) and the solution this organization has proposed and you decided to analyze:

CREATING LEARNING CENTERS AND LIBRARY RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY TO HELP IN THE EDUCATION OF HOMELESS CHILDREN.

d) Open a folder where you keep each of the sources you are reading for the GRP (do the same for the IRP as well.) This folder should include all the articles you read plus: the bibliographic entry (APA format), the reliability statement, the summary, specific quotes and notes you think you may use, etc. Keeping this file updated will save you a great deal of time once you have to write the annotated bibliography, the research paper, the reference page, etc.

e) Open a folder for a tentative outline for the GRP (and the IRP as well). The different sections of this outline will come from the sources you read. This outline will go through several changes as your research progresses.

B. Writing a good summary

a. Open Dropbox and have your summary on the screen.

b. Answer the following questions about the article using your summary.
Pop quiz

c. What is a good summary?


C. Homework

a) Make sure you have a folder in Dropbox where you keep your sources (articles and APA bibliographic information for both the GRP and the IRP).
Title your folders: GRP_sources; IRP_sources

b) Carefully explore the Website for Homeless Children's Education Fund. Write a summary of its contents; upload this on Dropbox by next class.

c) Read second article for the IRP. Write a summary.


Sources

Behrens, L. and Rosen, L. (2012). A Sequence for Academic Writing. 5th ed. Pearson.

Owl Purdue On Line Writing Lab